Francesco Curradi (15 November 1570 - 1661) was an Italian painter of the style described as Contra-Maniera or Counter-Mannerism, born and active in Florence.

Curradi was born in Florence, the son of a jeweller, Taddeo. He trained under Giovanni Battista Naldini and in 1590 matriculated from the Accademia del Disegno, Florence. His first independent works from 1597-1598 were for churches in Volterra, including that in the Colleoni chapel of the local Duomo. He later helped painting the frescoes of the Fame Exalting Michelangelo for the Casa Buonarroti (c. 1616-1617).

In 1622 he painted the San Francesco Saverio preaching to Indians for the church of San Giovannino degli Scolopi and a canvas of Narcissus and Herminia among shepherds commissioned by the cardinal Carlo de' Medici for his Casino di San Marco. He also executed seven lunettes in the chapel of Villa di Poggio Imperiale with the Story of Mary Magdalen.

Curradi painted the Crowning of the Virgin in 1646 for the Benedictine Abbey of Vallombrosa, and a Preaching of John the Baptist for the Rondoni chapel in the church of Santa Trinita in 1649. One of his pupils was Cesare Dandini. He is also known as Francesco Currado.

Currado painted small canvases for various churches in Florence, including a painting of San Francesco Saverio for San Giovannino. The Uffizi has two paintings: a Martyrdom of Santa Tecla and a Beatification of the Magdalen.

[edit] References

• Farquhar, Maria (1855). Ralph Nicholson Wornum. ed. Biographical catalogue of the principal Italian painters. Woodfall & Kinder, Angel Court, Skinner Street, London; Digitized by Googlebooks from Oxford University copy on Jun 27, 2006. p. 53. http://books.google.com/books?q=intitle:Wornum+intitle:principal+intitle:painters. 
• Grove Art Dictionary

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